Self-assembled synthesis of porous TiO2 film on the electrophoretic-deposited titanate nanoribbon film

Abstract

The porous TiO2 film was self-assembled on the surface of electrophoretic-deposited titanate nanoribbon film without the addition of templates by using TiF4 as the precursor. It was found that the hydrolysis of TiF4 was accompanied with the self-assembly processes of TiO2 nanoparticles on the surface of electrophoretic-deposited titanate nanoribbon film, resulting in the formation of porous TiO2 structures. Titanate nanoribbon film was demonstrated to provide the active sites for the effective self-assembly of porous TiO2 nanostructures owing to a large amount of hydroxyl groups. Compared with the nonporous TiO2 film, the prepared porous TiO2 films obviously showed an enhanced photocatalytic activity, which could be attributed to the rapider diffusion and more efficient transport of various reactants and products during photocatalytic reaction in the porous structures.